Process of producing aluminium compounds.



little iron,

mura STATES IIPATENT OFFICE.

essxouons no new nonsxn exrrnsnns KAIB FOR ELEKTROKEMISK INDUSIBI, NORSK INDUSTRI-HYPOTEKBANK, OF CHBIS'I'IAINIA, NORWAY.

rnocnss or rnonucme ALUMINIUM oomronnns.

No Drawing.

To aZl'whom-z't ma concern.

Be it known that we, OYSTEIN RAVNER, a subject of the King of Norway, residing at Christiania, Norwa and Vxoron Monrrz Gonosonmo'r, a sub ect of the King of Norway, residing at Christiania,Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing Aluminium Compounds; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in' the art to which it apertains to make and use the same.

"0 invention relates to the treatment of rock-forming minerals of the felds ar group for the purpose of producing aluminium compounds poor in or free from iron.

As known from the literature it has been suggested to decompose aluminium silicates by difi'erent means. Although some of the methods proposed have, for the most part been technically possible, they have been uneconomical.

It can be. readily understood that the economic production of aluminium compounds from minerals requires that the min erals be rich in aluminium and be readily available at a comparatively low price.

The co-mventor Goldschmidt and his associates have discovered procemes whereby minerals rich in plagioclases particularly of the labradorite-anorthosite series are available and can be utilized for this pur ose, and this application deals with one o the said processes. The use of minerals of this class is particularly advantageous in that they contain large quantities of combined aluminium (-36 per cent. A1 0,) and but the iron being combined with other metals present in com ounds which are not readily acted upon an consequently remaining so that what little iron is present is wholly or in large part in the residue.

The minerals referred to as containing thev a: m are principally hypersthene, diallage,

lid

epidote and similar mmerals.

tlur invention contemplates the treatment ot lminerals ol the class just described with em maintained at a high temperature. Chlorin or hydrochloric acid gas and the oxids of nitrogen have en found to be particularly well apted for this purpose.

Specifl tion of Letters Patent.

be athered in a reservoir.

gases, the minerals meanwhile being using chlorin or hydrochlorioacid gas, 1t isof advantage to supply a reducing agent instance, 600 to 1000 (3., and simultaneously supplied with the chlorin or hydrochloric and gas. The combined aluminium in the minerals is acted upon and aluminium chlorid formed. This sublimates and can en theoxids of nitro en are employed they are-introduced into 1; e furnace alon with steam, the minerals bein maintaine at such a temperature that 't e combined sodium and calcium present aretransformed into nitrates while the aluminium remains as an oxid. The decomposition mass is then lixiviated to remove the aforesaid nitrates. The residue, containing aluminium oxid, silicic acid, and possibly some combined iron is then treated with an acid, such as nitric acid or sulfuric acid, which afiects Patented May 6, 1919. Application filed larch 19, 1917. Serial No. 155,883.

only the aluminium oxid, and a solution formed from which aluminium hydroxid can be recovered in any well known man ner as by precipitation with ammonium hydroxid. Obviously the ammonium salts remaining in the solutioncan be recovered by eva oration.

e foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding, and no undue limitation should be deduced therefrom,.but the ap ended claims should be construed as broa ly as permissible in view of the prior art.

at we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: v

1. The process of producing an aluminium compound from minerals rich in pla 'oclases oi the labradorite-anorthosite series,

which comprises subjecting the minerals to the combined'action of heat and a decomposing agent in the form of a gas, whereby "of the labradorite-anorthosite series, which subject ng the minerals to the ac tion of chlorin inthe presence of a reducing agent at such a temperature that aluminium chlorid is formed while the combined iron remains for the most part in the residue. j 3. The process of producing aluminium chlorid from inerals rich in plagioclases of the labradorite-anorthosite series, ,which comprises subjecting the minerals to the action of chlorin in the presence of a reduc-' ing agent to 1000 0 whereby aluminium chlorid is formed while the combined iron remains for the most part in the residue, and recovering the aluminium chlorid.

4. The process of producing aluminium chlorid from mlnerals rich in plagioclases of the labradorite anorthosite series, which I at temperatures from about 600 comprises subjecting; the minerals to the action of chlorin in the presence of carbon at temperatures'from about 600 to 1000 G. whereby aluminium chlorid is formed while the combined iron remains for the most part in theresidue, and recovering the aluminium chlorid by sublimation and condensation.-

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention, we have s1 ed our names in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OYSTEIN RAVNER. VICTOR MORITZ GOLDSGHMIDT. Witnesses:

C. VORMAN, KARL L. LEE. 

